Paternal Postnatal Depression - a review

Abstract

Objective. Among the factors responsible for the occurrence of paternal postnatal depression (PPD), the following are the most frequent: biological factors (mainly hormonal changes), psychological factors (mainly a specific personal profile, including neuroticism, perfectionism and obsessiveness, mental disorders and problems such as anxiety or mental disorders, marital coincidence of depression, a high level of stress experienced and lower quality of sexual life in the postpartum period), and finally – socioeconomic status (mainly poverty, young age of the spouse, his low level of education and structural problems in the family). However, it should be noticed that the subject of paternal postnatal depression is relatively rarely taken up in research or discussed in specialist magazines. Conclusions. However, due to the fact that postnatal depression, both in mothers and in fathers, greatly impacts the life of the child and the functioning of the family, it seems that this area of research is of crucial importance. The identification of risk factors of depression in new fathers may not only lead to a more profound understanding and description of the etiology and symptomatology of paternal postnatal depression, but also to distinguishing a risk group in order to provide it with professional prevention and therapeutic care.